This article approaches interpreting as a form of social interaction. Focusing on interaction as it takes place in interpreter- mediated encounters, it describes the complex nature of this communicative situation and the dual character of an inter- preter’s taskdthat of rendering, or translating, and coordinating participants’ turns at talk. Taking into account the nature of spontaneous, spoken talk in interaction, including features like feedback tokens and repair initiatives, as well as verbal means to mark (or not mark) responsibility for what you utter, the article highlights the conditions for participants’ situated sense making in mediated encounters.